Satchmo Blows Up the World

During the height of the Cold War, the US State Department leveraged jazz as an unconventional tool to combat Communism and reshape foreign perceptions of America. From 1956 to the late 1970s, legendary jazz musicians like Dizzy Gillespie and Louis Armstrong toured globally, connecting with audiences in countries such as Iraq and the Soviet Union. These performances not only challenged the government's narrative on race but also fostered cross-cultural collaborations, enhancing racial pride and solidarity among formerly colonized nations. Penny Von Eschen explores this intriguing dynamic, highlighting how these tours redefined the role of African Americans in the broader narrative of US national identity.